Have you seen these signs around Columbia Springs? If so, you might be asking “what are they doing with underwear??”

Soil your undies sign
 
As it turns out, a “quick and dirty” way to test your soil is by “planting” a pair of new, cotton underwear in the site you’re curious about. So we thought we’d try it out here at Columbia Springs!
 
Stay tuned to learn if our undies will be “soiled” and if you’d like to “soil your undies” along with us you can follow the instructions below!
 
  1. Plant a pair of new, cotton underwear horizontally about 3 inches deep in the site you’re curious about. Don’t forget to mark the spot you planted!
  2. Wait at least 60 days. This gives your soil microbes time to do their magic! Then dig the undies back up.
  3. Share your results by sending a photo to kylie@columbiasprings.org. The more deteriorated your undies, the better your soil!
 
Thanks to the Natural Resources Conservation Service of Oregon Soil Health Committee for inspiring this activity!